Climate and tech : the connections

Recently, scientists declared that we are now living in the anthropocene, that is, the geological epoch influenced by human activities. One of the most significant ways in which mankind has altered natural earth systems is the invention and use of technology. The other is climate change.

Some facts, first of all.

a)      Technology by itself, is a benign weapon, it can be used for good or bad.

b)      Technology is also a way of life for 21^st century homo sapiens.

c)      Technology and climate change are also interlinked.

How so? Well think of fracking, construction of oil rigs both in on and off shore wells. These are some of the ways technology has led to climate change.

So how can we, as the leading inhabitants of planet Earth use tech to help this planet of ours and save it from dangerous climate change?

Let’s see…

The IPCC, the UN organization tasked with gathering climate data and making scientific predictions and scenarios, authored a report which recognized the role tech has to play in both adaptation and especially mitigation.

It recognized the need of  innovation and tech development and transfer in helping vulnerable communities cope with the worst effects of climate change.

An example would be in early warning systems. This means development of systems that can pick up the signs that weather systems are about to change radically. That is, extreme weather events like cyclones or long droughts are about to occur.

For example, it is currently possible to predict the El-Nino months before it happens. That means we are better prepared to deal with its effects and mobilize to face its onset.

The same would apply to cyclones though this is a tad different because cyclones can form in a matter of hours but cause so much destruction.

There is therefore need to come up with state of the art systems, well oiled machines that can pick up the signs in a heartbeat  and convey the message fast enough for preparation to take place. This means more expertise and investment is needed.

Information Technology

Digital banking and cashless systems like the use of mobile money (like MPesa) means that virtually no fuel is involved as people no longer need to drive  to carry out transactions in physical banking halls. That means emissions from transport are reduced.

Also cashless systems ensure that less paper is used and that means emissions from forestry are reduced significantly. The paper which is used to make cash is from trees that play a big role in mitigating climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Speaking of IT, tech companies like Apple and Google are big on renewable energy, with Apple using 100% renewables. In fact they have a vast array of solar panels in their campus in Calif.

Google aims to reach the 100% renewables target this year.

And then there are apps that track your carbon footprint and then you can decide to offset these emissions by supporting projects in mitigation.

Sometimes it is as simple as digitizing everything. Instead of using paper to print books, take advantage of e-books, blog instead of getting a diary. That is, move our entire lives online and thus save on paper and the energy used to mill it.

This is a simple but very effective of reducing emissions.

Social media on its own is a juggernaut, opening up new horizons and connecting people. It is now the new and one may argue, most preferred way of communication. Movements can be born online, in hashtags, trends and campaigns. It would be a very effective way of creating awareness about #climatechange and move the odds in our favour.

social media icons
- image courtesy of careerbuilder.ca

Mitigation

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a technology that is touted by the IPCC  as being necessary if we are to achieve the 2 degrees temperature threshold this century as envisioned by the Paris Agreement 2015. Carbon capture basically means stopping carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere in coal fired power plants. It involves use of scrubbers which act as absorbents. This carbon dioxide can then be injected (stored) into rock formations underground or used in other processes.

Climate engineering is a term used to mean the use of manmade methods to manipulate climate to suit our tastes. It is highly controversial because we do not know how interference in natural systems will affect the planet and for how long and in what ways.

Such methods would include creating machines or technology that effectively suck CO2 from the air and store it underground. However this has been argued as practically giving a licence to pollute. Because hey, if you know there is something to clean up your mess, then you can add as many tonnes of carbon dioxide into the air as you want.

Alternatively, there are other ideas out there, for example, mirrors to reflect solar light back to space or volcanic ash to act as atmospheric haze and stop light from reaching Earth.

To be clear though, such ideas are still polemic. Is it ethical? Moral?

In other fields, lab grown meat is now a reality. Coupled with the invention of beef and dairy substitutes, the two techniques could help curb emissions from livestock.

Energy  and Renewables

In transport, use of electric vehicles is fast catching on and is on its way to becoming mainstream. Electric vehicles use electricity instead of diesel, petrol (gas). The battery power stays longer than their diesel counterparts.

Tesla is championing this technology so watch this space. This is the next frontier in vehicular transport.

It is however important to note that this electricity needs to be produced from renewable sources otherwise we aren’t getting anywhere if coal is burnt to produce electricity.

Biofuels are also being touted as a good additive or entire replacement for the jet fuel that is in use today. That would vastly reduce emissions from aviation sector. Research and development is going on in an effort to find the best biofuel.

Piezoelectricity is electricity derived from crystals and still in research before development for large scale use.

Nuclear fusion could also be a potential source of zero emission energy. Both ITER and General Fusion, a company from Canada are in the process of building a new kind of nuclear fusion reactor. Such reactors would produce helium as a byproduct and are thus a tad safer than fission reactors. This would revolutionize how we view energy and possibly drive fossil fuels out of business.

Advances in technology used in solar and wind power means that we continue to make the cost of renewables fall as efficiency increases.

For example, there are now bladeless turbines developed by Vortex Bladeless whereby oscillating cylinders are used to generate electricity as opposed to the usual blade wind turbines, The technology alongside that of energy kites by Makani Energy  is still in its infancy stage but looks very promising.

bladeless wind turbines by Vortex Bladeless - image courtesy of techtimes

In Manufacturing, use recycled stuff instead of buying newly minted things. You reduce the emissions that would have come from using energy to process for example, plastic or metal. Most of this energy still comes from fossil fuels, which of course cause harm to the planet.

Another plus is that we reduce waste.

Adaptation

Climate proofed infrastructure is infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather events caused by climate change. Such events would include higher than normal temperatures, huge amounts of snow or even flash floods caused by excess rain.

When it comes to buildings, insulating material and alignment can be combined with the use of natural lighting to provide both heat and light to buildings. This would stop emissions from fossil energy used to previously power such.

Plant engineering basically means use of bio engineering to produce faster growing crops which need less water and yield more, this would help in adaptation.

Another way tech is positively helping in adaptation is the building of machines that absorb moisture from the atmosphere and turn it into water. Yaaay for the human race and especially in areas of water scarcity caused by climate change!

To end this article, technology by its very nature is a product of innovation. And necessity is the mother of invention.

That means that the possibilities in this field are dynamic, unpredictable virtually limitless.

Granted, we should not ignore our very own role in climate change. Technology should be used as a way of remedying dangerous climate change, as opposed to being carte blanche to further increase carbon pollution. It should also be used in conjunction with natural methods of reducing emissions such as forestry, planting trees.

To be clear, the current way of doing things, the fossil fuel way, is completely untenable, and must be replaced by a low carbon pathway.

In conclusion,

Tech is basically meant to advance a low carbon pathway, a new scenario, to turn from the old way of doing things to a new one.

To assist in saving the planet, not to further its ruin.

And on that note, do please have a good day.

Join the debate online.

I’m at _wacinga  on Twitter